Photographic film developing apparatus

Abstract

A photographic film developing apparatus maintains a photographic film, a developer solution and a second processing solution at a specific temperature while performing film development operation by directly applying the individual solutions to an emulsion side of the photographic film. After the developer solution and the second processing solution have been applied from respective processing solution application heads to the emulsion side of the photographic film, the quantity of each solution on the emulsion side is adjusted to form a layer of a specified thickness. While transfer belts advance each successive portion of the photographic film up to a processing solution wipe-out device, heaters provided close to the transfer belts heat the individual solutions applied to the photographic film through the transfer belts to maintain the solutions at the specific temperature.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A photographic film developing apparatus for developing a photographic film by directly spraying or applying a processing solution to an emulsion side of the photographic film while it is being transferred at a specific speed, said photographic film developing apparatus comprising: 
       a first storage reservoir for storing a developer solution;  
       a first solution application head for applying the developer solution onto an emulsion side of the photographic film;  
       a first application thickness regulating means provided on a downstream side of the first solution application head for regulating a thickness of the developer solution on the emulsion side of the photographic film;  
       a first transfer belt, provided on a downstream side of the first application thickness regulating means, which comes into contact with a non-emulsion side of the photographic film when transferring it in a particular direction; and  
       a first heater for heating a contact surface of the first transfer belt which comes into contact with the non-emulsion side of the photographic film to a specific temperature.  
     
     
       2. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater is provided inside a loop formed by the transfer belt. 
     
     
       3. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the transfer belt is made of a rubber heater which is formed of an endless belt of flexible resin incorporating a heat-generating element. 
     
     
       4. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the heater includes a halogen lamp. 
     
     
       5. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the heater includes a nickel-chromium alloy wire. 
     
     
       6. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the transfer belt is made of a glass-fiber-reinforced silicone rubber. 
     
     
       7. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the specific temperature is approximately 38 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
       8. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       a second storage reservoir for storing a processing solution;  
       a second solution application head for applying the processing solution onto the emulsion side of the photographic film; and  
       a second application thickness regulating means, provided on a downstream side of the second solution application head, for regulating the thickness of the applied processing solution on the emulsion side of the photographic film.  
     
     
       9. The photographic developing apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
       a second transfer belt provided on a downstream side of the second application thickness regulating means, which comes into contact with a non-emulsion side of the photographic film when transferring the photographic film in the particular direction;  
       a second heater for heating a contact surface of the second transfer belt which comes into contact with the non-emulsion side of the photographic film to a specific temperature.  
     
     
       10. The photographic developing apparatus according to  claim 9  further comprising: 
       a processing solution wipe-out unit provided on a downstream side of the second transfer belt for wiping out solutions applied to the photographic film.  
     
     
       11. The photographic developing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the processing solution wipe-out unit includes a pair of squeeze rollers through which the photographic film bearing the developer solution and the process solution on the emulsion side thereof passes. 
     
     
       12. The photographic developing apparatus according  claim 1 , wherein the first application thickness regulating means includes a top roller and a bottom roller and the top roller has a portion of an outer cylindrical surface recessed by a certain amount such that opposite ends of the top roller and the bottom roller nip the photographic film from top and bottom and the first application thickness regulating means further includes a clearance with a certain dimension corresponding to the recessed portion of the top roller is formed so that the developer with the regulated thickness remains on the emulsion side of the photographic film after the film has passed through the first application thickness regulating means. 
     
     
       13. The photographic developing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the second application thickness regulating means includes a top roller and a bottom roller and the top roller has a portion of an outer cylindrical surface recessed by a certain amount such that opposite ends of the top roller and the bottom roller nip the photographic film from top and bottom and the first application thickness regulating means further includes a clearance with a certain dimension corresponding to the recessed portion of the top roller is formed so that the process solution with the regulated thickness remains on the emulsion side of the photographic film after the film has passed through the second application thickness regulating means. 
     
     
       14. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the first heater is provided inside a loop formed by the first transfer belt. 
     
     
       15. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the second heater is provided inside a loop formed by the second transfer belt. 
     
     
       16. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the first transfer belt is made of a rubber heater which is formed of an endless belt of flexible resin incorporating a heat-generating element. 
     
     
       17. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the second transfer belt is made of a rubber heater which is formed of an endless belt of flexible resin incorporating a heat-generating element. 
     
     
       18. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the first heater includes a halogen lamp. 
     
     
       19. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the first heater includes a nickel-chromium alloy wire. 
     
     
       20. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the first transfer belt is made of a glass-fiber-reinforced silicone rubber. 
     
     
       21. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the second transfer belt is made of a glass-fiber-reinforced silicone rubber. 
     
     
       22. The photographic film developing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the specific temperature is approximately 38 degrees Celsius.